Rio Grande do Sul

Rio Grande do Sul is a state in the southernmost part of Brazil, bordered by Santa Catarina to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Uruguayan departments to the south, and Argentine provinces to the west. It is Brazil's fifth most populous state and ninth largest by area, divided into 497 municipalities, with Porto Alegre as its capital and largest city; the state has the country's highest life expectancy and a relatively low crime rate.